This Week: Will Publishing Change The Tone?

It’s Never Too Late To Embrace Your Cognitive Dissonance

Here’s an interesting irony for those following — or being battered to bits by — the Amazon-Hachette mania that’s enraging so many people in book publishing in this loud, hot summer.

Edan Lepucki, author of California, the Stephen Colbert-promoted Hachette book, is married to Patrick Brown — the main spokesperson for Amazon’s Goodreads. Lupucki told SFGate’s Julian Guthrie for his weekend story, “I’ve never bought books from Amazon because I’ve kind of seen them as a bully. But also, I love bookstores.” She has said this in previous interviews, as well.

Brown is a great guy: I’ve worked with him in several conference and trade-show events. Personable, superbly professional, entirely competent. And, by many accounts, Lepucki is a fine writer. I’m looking forward to getting intoCalifornia.

Lepucki’s and Brown’s marriage comprises both her opinion that Amazon is “a bully” and his untiring advocacy for what the 30-million-member Amazon Goodreads platform is doing for readers and authors — and for how well Amazon is supporting it.